LAND EVALUATION STUDIES OF SOME SELECTED SOILS IN IKOLE SOUTH-WESTERN NIGERIA

 ABSTRACT

Sustainable use of soils requires in-depth knowledge of the formation, genesis and properties of soil. It is in view of this that some soils derived from granitic parent rock in Ikole, South- western Nigeria covering 33.7 hectares of land where mapped at a scale of 1:50,000 using a combination of convectional and remote sensing methods of soil survey. The objective was to generate detailed information on the properties of the soil for their sustainable agricultural use and management. Seven soils located on seven land use types were identified and classified. Four of the soils (IKl, IK2, IK3 and IK5) were classified as Typic Plinthudult while IK4 was classified as Kandic Plinthaquult and IK6 was classified as Plinthic Kandiudult and IK7 as Fluvaquentic Epiaquept. Using the FAO/UNESCO, the soils (IKl, IK2, IK3 and IK5) were classified as Dystric Lixisol while IK4 was classified Ferric Lixisol, IK6 as Plinthudult Lixisol while IK7 was classified as Fluvic Cambisol. The USDA/F AO framework and land capability classification, land suitability classification and land fertility classification were used to evaluate the soils. Soil IKl, IK2, IK5 and IK6 belong to class III while IK3, IK4 and IK7 belong to class IV in the land capability classification due to soil fertility, physical soil characteristics and wetness limitation of the soil. The soils were evaluated for their suitability for the production of cassava (Manihot esculentus), Oil palm (Elaeis guinnensis), cashew (Anacardium occidentafe), maize (Zea mays) and banana (Musa acuminata). All the soil types are highly suitable for cashew production and moderately suitable for cassava, oil palm, maize and banana production except soils IK4 and IK7 that are not suitable due to wetness problem. The potentials of these soils will increase from moderately suitable (S2) to highly suitable (S1) with proper fertility management. Appropriate sustainable soil management recommendations have been made.